DECEMBER 2000 SPORT HEADLINES

Tuesday, January 23, 2001 - Web posted at 9:35:48 AM GMT

Roma lead cut to three points after Milan defeat

MILAN - AS Roma's lead at the top of Serie A was cut to three points as they lost 3-2 away to AC Milan while second-placed Juventus kept up the pressure with a 1-0 win at Perugia.

Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko scored twice for Milan who ended a run of four games without a win with an excellent performance in a high quality game, while a second half strike from Filippo Inzaghi was enough to give Juve three vital points in Umbria.

Fiorentina were held to a goalless draw at Atalanta, while Arrigo Sacchi's Parma had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Lecce.

Third-placed Lazio beat Inter Milan 2-0 on Saturday.

Roma's second loss of the season - their other defeat was also at the San Siro against Inter - began when Milan's recalled Brazilian Leonardo fired them ahead with a stunning free-kick in the third minute.

Demetrio Albertini then set up Shevchenko for Milan's second with a delightful through pass.

But Roma always looked dangerous in attack and after Gabriel Batistuta had missed a good chance, Francesco Totti pulled them back into the game with a fiercely struck long-range shot in the 40th minute.

Milan's two goal advantage was restored just four minutes later when Shevchenko slotted home a low cross from Serginho.

Roma received a penalty three minutes from time after Roque Junior brought down Batistuta, but although Totti converted the penalty it was too late.

Juve are unbeaten away from home since they lost at Perugia on the final day of last season - a result which cost them the Serie A title.

But unlike that encounter, when Carlo Ancelotti's team struggled on a waterlogged pitch, this time the Turin side were dominant from the outset.

Zinedine Zidane went close in the 34th minute with a scorching free-kick that Perugia keeper Andrea Mazzantini did well to keep out and French striker David Trezeguet missed a good chance.

But Juve got the vital goal in the 62nd minute when Edgar Davids burst through from midfield and slipped the ball to Inzaghi who fired home.

Fiorentina drop to fourth place after they could only manage a goalless draw in Bergamo against Atalanta, who halted their run of three straight defeats.coming after a chaotic week for Fiorentina, in which Turkish coach Fatih Terim announced he would leave at the end of the season, the Florence club will be glad to have extended their unbeaten run to seven games.

New Parma coach Arrigo Sacchi saw his side draw 1-1 for the second game in succession.

Parma went ahead in the 54th minute when Yugoslav Savo Milosevic rose well to head home a Sergio Conceicao cross and Parma had a number of chances to kill the game.

But Lecce grabbed a late equaliser when Cristiano Lucarelli took advantage of a mix-up between Parma keeper Gianluigi Buffon and his defence.

Brazilian Edmundo's debut for Napoli ended in a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Udinese thanks to Roberto Sosa's eighth strike of the season.

Sosa headed the winner in the 68th minute after getting on the end of a fine cross from Stefano Fiore.

At the foot of the table Bari beat Reggina 2-1 with Swede Daniel Andersson grabbing the winner from the spot 10 minutes from time.

Vicenza, who had defender Giacomo Dicara sent off for a second yellow card in the 68th minute, drew 1-1 at fellow strugglers Brescia.

- Nampa-Reuters

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